Expected Weight Loss: Duodenal Switch

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a very common type of liver disease that is specifically not linked to drinking alcohol. A study’s results were released at the 2014 Digestive Disease Week meeting that showed through a study of 160 people with the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The study tracked the process of these individuals having weight loss surgery to see (more…)

Morbid obesity can present a number of different health challenges. From difficulty sleeping to the risk of Type II diabetes, obesity is considered a severe public health crisis, contributing to dozens of diseases and a very low quality of life.

Morbid obesity is also known to reduce life expectancy dramatically. Studies have shown that those that struggle with obesity may be eliminating years from their life and reducing their quality of life during those final years. (more…)

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the obesity rate in America is somewhere between 26-32%, almost 1 in 3 Americans. Since 1988, the average American male has gained over 17 pounds while the average female has gained about 15 ½, Spotlight on Obesity reports. If these trends continue, nearly 43% of all Americans will be obese by 2018. The CDC also reports that the annual medical cost of obesity in America is $147 billion and the annual medical cost for obese persons versus average weight individuals is $1,429 more. (more…)

According to a new review by UT Southwestern Medical Center, gastric bypass surgery has much better outcomes than gastric banding for a long-term weight loss experience. It also controls Type II Diabetes better as well as high blood pressure and lowers cholesterol levels in patients. This is a result of nearly 30 long-term studies done to compare the two types of bariatric surgeries and the patients who endured each of them. (more…)

With one-third of the adults in the United States being considered obese, it is clear that obesity is a difficult issue to treat. The typical solution from physicians is a major change in diet and exercise along with medical therapy, all of which seem to fail for the most part. (more…)

Obesity is about more than just the way a person looks. Obese individuals face a greater chance of suffering comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and sleep apnea. It is for these reasons that many individuals are seeking alternatives to changing their diet and exercising. Those suffering from obesity are looking to bariatric surgery for resolution. Along with bariatric surgery are some side effects and recovery that patients are not excited about. (more…)

Bariatric surgery is one of the most common methods of taking control of obesity. The weight loss from surgery can be dramatic and not every patient is a good candidate for weight loss surgery. Even the individuals that are good candidates for the surgery can often benefit from a preoperative psychosocial evaluation. (more…)

In a controlled study of 45 patients in San Francisco, California, hypoglycemic episodes seemed common while primarily unnoticed.

A three-day monitoring period of regular activity showed that symptomatic hypoglycemia appeared in 22% of 15 individuals following gastric bypass surgery. Additionally, 20% of 15 individuals who underwent biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch showed symptomatic hypoglycemia. Out of the 15 obese patients that did not go through a weight loss surgery, none of them had symptomatic hypoglycemia. These non-symptomatic patients were non-diabetic and were a match to the surgical patients in their body mass index (BMI). (more…)